Teaching Him a Lesson
by sandersonsister
Summary: Kunimi wasn't sure how it happened. He hadn't thought there would be anything to make it happen. But when things began to change, when Kageyama started to treat them as his subjects, it slipped out. "He needs to realize we aren't his subjects. The best way to do that is to rebel."


A/N: Ooh, I took a break and will continue my ongoing story soon enough. This is just to get me back into writing...let me know what you think!

Kunimi wasn't sure when it changed. When he had fist met Kageyama in their first year of Junior High, when they had first realized that the marks on their thighs matched, Kunimi had thought that this was it. Kindaichi had been jealous at that point. He had said that it wasn't fair that Kunimi and Kageyama had found their soulmate so quickly. He had made comments about how Kunimi was able to understand the socially awkward Kageyama when no one else could. When Kageyama could explain what Kunimi was thinking when the older boy was just too tired to do it himself.

Kunimi had spent almost every day after practice with Kageyama. Kindaichi joined them often and Kunimi really couldn't imagine being happier at that point. He was with his soulmate and his best friend. And yet, somehow, that changed.

At first, he hadn't realized it. It started in second year. Kageyama's parents were having problems and Kunimi knew that Kageyama was embarrassed to have him over when his parents were screaming at each other in the next room. So, he started going over there less. He tried to get Kageyama to go home with him, but Kageyama felt guilty for leaving his mother alone. He told Kunimi that when the argument was over, his father would storm out of the house and his mother would sit by the door, crying. He didn't want to leave her.

So, they went their separate ways after practice. They still met on weekends, going to Kunimi's house or going to hang out with Kindaichi. Then Kageyama's father left for good and his mother began to work more often. Instead of heading home with Kageyama at this point, they still went their separate ways. Kunimi, who was in higher classes than Kageyama, began to spend more time on his schoolwork. Kageyama focused on volleyball.

In their third year, Kunimi knew that Kageyama was becoming too obsessed. He was taking his anger and loneliness and putting them into the game. Kunimi tried, he really did. He tried to get Kageyama to go out with him and Kindaichi again, to do some of the things the three of them used to do. But the only thing the setter wanted to do was practice. He was getting more and more frustrated with them, saying that they were too slow. That they weren't good enough. Kunimi pulled away from him, not liking how those words made him feel. He felt his mark burning as those words flew out of his soulmates mouth. He didn't want to feel that.

He knew that Kindaichi was done. Whatever friendship had been between the two had cracked and finally broken. He knew that Kageyama was going through some things. But…he was going too far. And he was rejecting the bond. Kunimi would never admit it, but he had broken down into tears after one practice when he realized his once colorful mark was slowly draining of color.

It was almost the end of the year when Kunimi realized that he and Kageyama hadn't spoken beyond a few words at practice in weeks. His mark had become an almost constant burn on his thigh and Kunimi couldn't look at it without feeling his stomach turn. It as because of that fact that he said what he did to Kindaichi. "He needs to realize we aren't his subjects. The best way to do that is to rebel."

He will never forget the look on Kageyama's face when he realized that the team had turned their backs on him. When the King of the Court was forced to sit on the bench and watch his subjects play on without him.

Kunimi threw up in the bathroom after the game and he sank to the floor and cried when he watched the last of the color fade from his mark. He never told anyone.

Kageyama's face was burned into Kunimi's retinas. He saw it every time he closed his eyes. He always woke feeling nauseous.

He was relieved when he and Kindaichi walked into the gym their first day of High School and Kageyama wasn't there. Kunimi, before their bond had broken, had convinced Kageyama to follow their former sempai's in high school. Even if Oikawa had a grudge against him, it was only for a year. And there was no doubt that Kageyama could learn from the other setter.

At least Kageyama was smart enough to not continue that plan now.

"Oh! My dear Kohai missed me so much they followed me here!" Oikawa grinned that first day.

"I'm sure you had nothing to do with it," Iwaizumi had growled out, his eyes flickering from Kunimi and Kindaichi. A frown crossed his face when he pointedly looked at the space on Kunimi's left where a younger boy had always stood.

Kunimi pointedly avoided the ace's gaze but he saw Iwaizumi's eyes move down to the mark that was just visible beneath the hem of Kunimi's shorts. A mark that Kunimi had made sure to cover every single day since it had fallen into a shade of grays.

"Where is my other dear Kohai?" Oikawa asked lightly, though the sneer on his face betrayed him.

Kindaichi answered, "He decided not to come here."

"Good."

It was Oikawa's bright idea to hold a practice match against Karasuno – against Kageyama. Throughout the entire thing, Kunimi avoided looking toward the setter. The few times he looked directly at him, Kunimi felt is stomach turn. His mark felt like it was on fire. But, even through that, Kunimi could tell that something was different. Kageyama was different. He wasn't the innocently awkward boy Kunimi knew in their first year of Junior High. He wasn't the dictatorial, arrogant King from his third year. He was an awkward teenager that loved volleyball, a teenager that was trying to find his place.

Kunimi knew he was going to be sick.

He wasn't proud of it, but he hid after the match. He dodged both Kindaichi and Iwaizumi and slipped into the clubroom, sitting on the floor behind a table so he couldn't be seen from the door. He pulled his knees up to his chest and pressed his head against them as he gasped for breath. He could feel his head beginning to pound, the pain from his mark now radiating throughout the rest of his body. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to see him – to be reminded of what they had done to that boy. Of what _he_ had done to his _soulmate_. There were so many other things he could have done, so many things he could have –

But he hadn't. He let his emotions overpower everything else and look at the result. He no longer knew anything about him. Not to mention Kageyama hadn't even flinched when their eyes met. To Kageyama, Kunimi was no longer worth it.

He finally moved once his head stopped spinning. He knew that someone would be looking for him – they needed to see Karasuno off and then clean up the gym. He stepped out of the clubroom and decided to stop by the bathroom before going to the gym. He walked in and caught the end of a confrontation between Kindaichi and Kageyama.

"What were you guys talking about?" he questioned as Kageyama walked away, thankful that the other boy hadn't noticed him.

"He…said we," Kindaichi muttered. Kunimi felt his heart lurch. He knew it. He knew something was different. "He always used to say I like he was the only one playing." Kunimi moved forward, standing beside his best friend as they both watched Kageyama argue with the short middle blocker from Karasuno. "Damn, I feel kind of defeated," Kindaichi admitted.

Kunimi couldn't stop the scowl from crossing his face. _He_ felt defeated? For those words alone, Kunimi slapped his friend on the back. Hard.

"What was that for?!" Kindaichi asked as he jumped.

"You know what that was for," Kunimi replied as he turned to go back to the gym. "If anyone should feel defeated, it's me."

Watching Karasuno at Inter-High was an interesting sight. Kunimi felt the bitterness rise in his throat as Kageyama worked with his team. As he struggled to fit with them, to listen to them.

To do with them what he refused to do with Kunimi.

That bitterness grew by the time they played Karasuno. Kunimi knew that they weren't going to lose. That they couldn't lose. He couldn't have given up everything to lose this as well. He had to get something…

And they did. They won against Karasuno.

Kunimi had to watch as Oikawa and Kageyama stared at one another, challenged one another. How Kunimi was ignored. Even when Kageyama moved to confront Kindaichi that's all he did – confront Kindaichi.

He acted like Kunimi wasn't even there.

Those thoughts didn't sit well. He hated it. Absolutely despised it. They never left. They echoed throughout his head for weeks. But he kept them to himself and focused on his class work and on volleyball.

Until it happened.

"Iwa- _chan_!" Oikawa came into the club room, a bright smile plastered on his face. "Tetsu-chan is just so-"

"Who the hell is Tetsu-chan?" Makki questioned, cutting the captain off.

For once, Oikawa didn't even act annoyed that the was interrupted. Instead, he beamed at the other third year. "My soulmate!"

There was instant commotion thoughout the room. "Wait, what?! When did that happen?" Mattsun asked loudly.

"We met last-"

"Met isn't exactly the right word, Crappykawa," Iwaizumi cut in, amusement flashing across his face.

Ah, there was that usual pout, "Iwa-chan! Don't!"

"Wait, I think I want to hear this story," Makki grinned.

"Seconded!" Mattsun chimed.

"I think we're all interested," Yahaba agreed.

"But-!"

"Crappykawa called me last night to complain to me that Kageyama had called him-"

Kageyama did what now?

"-to tell him that he met Oikawa's soulmate."

"Kageyama told you that?" Kindaichi asked with a frown.

"The funny part is that Kageyama couldn't remember the guys name and he didn't have his number. He just knew that he's the captain of Nekoma."

The clubroom burst into laughter. Kunimi didn't laugh. That was just like Kageyama – at least that hadn't changed. He never thought things through. "So how did you talk to him?" Kunimi questioned quietly.

"Ah, Karasuno's captain asked him to text me!" Oikawa said happily, beaming at Kunimi's interest. "We talked for hours last night! And look!" He pulled up his shirt, proudly showing off the bright blue and red mark.

Kunimi felt his face twist as he looked at it and he turned his head quickly as the other boys ooh'd. "Oi, Kunimi! Jealous?" Makki asked. "Don't worry, your time will come!"

"Yeah, no reason to be so sad!" Mattsun chimed.

Kunimi ducked his head as Kindiachi growled at the two to shut up. "Aw, Kindaichi, are you sad that you and Kunimi don't-"

"Stop," Iwaizumi ordered loudly. All conversation froze. "Leave Kunimi alone."

"Wh – Iwa-chan! It's okay for Sleepy-chan to be jeal – oh, wait! Didn't Sleepy-chan meet his soulmate in junior-" Oikawa broke off and Kunimi watched as realization and horror swept over the older boys face. He slowly let his eyes drop down to the covered mark. "Kunimi, is that…"

"I'm leaving," Kunimi stated loudly, probably more loudly than any of the boys had heard him speak before. No one tried to stop him as he grabbed his things and walked from the room. The door hadn't fully shut when he heard the words.

"Wait, are you saying that he-"

Great.

They didn't talk to him about it after that. Actually, they took care to avoid it completely. There as no more joking about possibly meeting soulmates at games. No more daydreaming. No more talking about the mated pairs in the team. Nothing.

But Kunimi caught more than one person eyeing the bandage on his leg.

He ignored it. It was what he was good at, after all. And he forced himself to stop thinking about a certain dark haired, blue eyed setter. Well, until the Spring Tournament, anyway.

It was at that tournament that Kunimi knew he couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't stand in front of Kageyama and not know who he was. He couldn't let this feeling overcome him.

"Congratulations," he said softly after the match ended.

Kageyama, who had just finished talking to Kindaichi, flinched at his voice. Kindaichi sent Kunimi a short, understanding glance before moving away. "Uh, yeah. Thanks," the setter muttered.

"Can we talk?" Kunimi asked quietly, his eyes fixated on the other boy. His heart was pounding in his chest and for once, his mark wasn't burning. "Please?"

Kageyama visibly hesitated but slowly nodded his head.

For the first time in over a year, Kunimi felt his mark flood with something other than pain.


End file.
